San Bao was jumping for joy in the courtyard.
A figure walked straight through the entrance.
“Tao Buzhi?”
The newcomer was dressed in a lilac robe with sandalwood-colored wide sleeves. Seeing Fu Jingxuan appear, he was visibly startled; his footing wavered, and he nearly stumbled for two miles, almost falling face-first into the dirt.
San Bao rushed forward to steady him while shouting excitedly, “Young Master Tao!”
Young Master Tao’s given name was Tao Xianzhi, the leading grandson of the Tao family in Yizhou. Now twenty-one, he belonged to the same generation as Fu Jingxuan and Fang Zesheng. The elder head of the Tao family had named him “Xianzhi[mfn]Foreknowledge.[/mfn]”, hoping he would be prescient in all matters and plan for rainy days to carve out his own place in the tea market. Unexpectedly, at a Tea Tasting Convention, Tao Xianzhi was ushered onto the stage by several elders to sample the teas; he sipped one after another, understanding neither this nor that. Ultimately, Fu Jingxuan, who similarly knew nothing, gave him the nickname “Tao Buzhi[mfn]Knows-Nothing.[/mfn]”.
The two were well-acquainted, the sort who could be called a partner in mischief, a fellow troublemaker.
“Second Fu?!”
“You, you-you-you? You actually went through with the marriage?!” Tao Xianzhi’s eyes widened like copper bells. Clinging to San Bao, he hurried over to Fu Jingxuan and exclaimed in disbelief, “I didn’t believe it when Wang Xiuhe said so. To think you’re actually here!” His expression then morphed into one of triumph as if to say I knew it: “I told you your second madam would kick you out of the Fu family sooner or later! I just didn’t expect her to be this vicious by marrying you off to a man to end your bloodline?!”
Fu Jingxuan offered no explanation. Finding it strange that the other party was here, he asked, “And you? Why are you here?”
Tao Xianzhi replied, “This year’s Tea Tasting Convention is being held in Chuzhou. It just so happened that there was a business deal here too, so my grandfather and I came early.”
Fu Jingxuan had truly forgotten about it. He hadn’t attended a Tea Tasting Convention in years; not because he stopped going just because Fang Zesheng did, but because Cheng Xiqiu’s health had declined. Second Madam Liu had taken over her spot and claimed her invitation, bringing Fu Jingye along every time to make an appearance, leaving nothing for him.
Fu Jingxuan had truly forgotten about it. He hadn’t attended a Tea Tasting Convention in years; not because he stopped going just because Fang Zesheng did, but because Cheng Xiqiu’s health had declined. Second Madam Liu had taken over her spot and claimed her invitation, bringing Fu Jingye along every time to make an appearance, leaving nothing for him.
Fu Jingxuan asked, “How is it that your Tao family’s business has reached all the way to Chuzhou territory?”
Tao Xianzhi had a round, apple-like face and looked exceptionally honest when he smiled, yet his words carried a hint of shrewdness beneath the silliness. “What does business care about territories? We sell our wares from north to south; isn’t it all up to the customer’s choice? If someone fancies our Tao family tea, how could I possibly keep them a thousand miles away?”
Fu Jingxuan chuckled and said, “They only took a fancy to it these past few years?”
Tao Xianzhi understood his meaning and gave him a dry laugh. “It certainly couldn’t have been while Master Fang was still alive. And don’t just talk about me; your Fu family is far more aggressive at snatching business than our Tao family. That second madamof yours is a ruthless character; I’d say she’s nearly on par with Wang Xiuhe. She’d love nothing more than to swallow the Fang family’s business whole for her own son and grandsons. In short, there isn’t a single decent soul in the Tea Merchant Association these days; every one of them claims to pity Fang Zesheng for being orphaned, but when it comes to snatching business, they all forget whether he’s dead or alive.”
Young Master Tao had a loud voice, and he had even managed to insult his own family in his rant. Only after finishing did he remember he was standing in Fang Zesheng’s courtyard. Having only seen Fu Jingxuan, he looked around and asked in a low voice, “Is Fang Zesheng here?”
Fu Jingxuan glanced toward the study. “He’s inside.”
Tao Xianzhi craned his neck, peering about. “Should I go in and see him? It’s been eight or nine years since I last saw him. Is he willing to see people?”
Fu Jingxuan couldn’t make that call. He turned around, intending to find the mute uncle to go in and announce the guest, but unexpectedly, the rolling sound of wooden wheels came from the study door; the mute uncle was already pushing Fang Zesheng out.
Tao Xianzhi was startled and stared at Fang Zesheng for a long time before recovering his wits. He hurriedly stepped forward and said, “Young Master Fang, long time no see.”
Fang Zesheng nodded slightly and made a gesture of invitation. “Young Master Tao is a rare guest. Please, take a seat in the main hall.”
Tea was then served in the main hall.
Tao Xianzhi held a white jade gaiwan adorned with a flying goose-and-butterfly pattern. He took a sip of the last batch of new sprouts from this spring with his eyes darting around restlessly. From time to time, he glanced at Fang Zesheng’s crippled legs from time to time, but fearing he was being too obvious, he could only blink and drink tea incessantly. Before long, he had downed three cups and even let out a water burp.
Fu Jingxuan sat in the chair opposite him, watching him as if watching a monkey show, neither breaking the silence nor speaking. Tao Xianzhi glared at him in frustration, set down his teacup, and spoke constrainedly to Fang Zesheng: “Young Master Fang, have you been faring well these past few years?”
As soon as he said it, he wanted to slap himself. Faring well? Like hell he was!
Fang Zesheng, however, didn’t seem to mind at all. He had the mute uncle refilled Tao Xianzhi’s tea and replied, “I have fared well.”
Tao Xianzhi hurriedly said, “That’s good, that’s good.”
Despite not having seen him for years and seeing him now with broken legs, Tao Xianzhi still felt half a head shorter in Fang Zesheng’s presence. Since childhood, he had never been as good as Fang Zesheng; not just inferior but lagging behind by no small margin. After the trouble befell the Fang family, the entire tea market had been in an uproar with some mourning, some rejoicing, and even more kicking them while they were down. Now, with Fang Changru having been dead for many years, various parties had made their moves and carved up much of the Fang family’s business. Although Wang Xiuhe was cunning, as an outsider, she would have to first hollow out the Fang family before she could fully take control. Consequently, with both external threats and internal strife, many of the smaller retail businesses were neglected, which was why the Fang family’s business had plummeted over the years.
However, this year, the Tea Tasting Convention was held in Chuzhou once again. It seemed Wang Xiuhe had indeed completely suppressed the Fang family’s maternal relatives and clansmen and was beginning to take charge of the dealings in the tea market.
Tao Xianzhi asked, “I wonder if Young Master Fang will attend the Tea Tasting Convention on Mount Yuming this year?”
Fang Zesheng shook his head and simply asked, “Apart from the Four Great Families, who else was invited this year?”
Tao Xianzhi said, “I heard a big figure from the capital is coming.”
Wang Xiuhe paid little attention to the small retail investors, but she held the government trade firmly in her grasp. That year, she had visited numerous officials and spent heavily to secure a prominent figure from the capital as a judge. Her goal was to open up sales channels in the capital, running shops under the Wang name while selling tea from the Fang family.
At night, Tao Xianzhi invited Fu Jingxuan out for drinks.
Second Master Fu and San Bao had spent the whole time eating and drinking; it wasn’t until the third quarter of Haishi[mfn]Haishi is between 9-11pm, so it’s around 10:45pm here.[/mfn] that he finally carried a jug of aged osmanthus wine into the study.
Fang Zesheng, unusually, had not yet gone to bed. He was draped in a heavy cloak while leaning against the couch and playing a chess game against himself.
Fu Jingxuan walked past the desk and saw a complete mess; papers and brushes strewn about, and a square vase decorated with flowers and birds meant for holding scrolls lying shattered on the floor. This vase had originally been placed by the window, minding its own business and bothering no one; someone must have deliberately smashed it for it to be broken here.
Fu Jingxuan stepped carefully around the porcelain shards, thinking that this must be how the rumors of Fang Zesheng being demented, mad, and hot-tempered had originated.
He climbed onto the wooden couch and sat cross-legged opposite Fang Zesheng while carrying the wine jar. Resting his chin on one hand atop the game table, he picked up a white stone. As soon as Fang Zesheng’s black stone landed, he quietly moved to block him, cutting off half a point.
In the dim lamplight, Fang Zesheng’s expression remained calm; he took his time, contemplating each piece before placing it.
There was nothing at stake in this match; it was simply a question of who could seize the initiative and capitalize on the opportunity. One misstep, and you’d have to start over or risk losing the entire game.
“Why don’t you place it here?” Fu Jingxuan held a chess piece between two fingers and tapped an empty spot on the board.
Fang Zesheng did not respond. A lock of long hair hung by his temple as his body leaned slightly. After a long while, he finally prepared to place a piece, yet he intended to avoid that specific spot.
Fu Jingxuan blocked him. Before he could even settle the black piece, he pinched the piece right out of Fang Zesheng’s hand.
He now held two pieces, one black and one white, resting clearly in his palm.
“The opportunity you’ve been waiting for has arrived?”
Fang Zesheng looked up at him.
Fu Jingxuan’s gaze met his, seemingly reading the meaning in his eyes. “Since the opportunity is here and a shortcut has appeared, why not take it instead of taking such a long detour?” As he spoke, he placed the black piece he had taken from Fang Zesheng back into its original spot, then pressed his own white piece on top of it, occupying the same position.
Fang Zesheng did not speak, merely picking up a new piece and stroking it gently.
Fu Jingxuan leaned forward before resting his upper body on his arm, and said brazenly, “It couldn’t be that you’re reluctant to use it, could it?”
Fang Zesheng blinked, letting the piece in his hand fall back into the ceramic jar. He said indifferently, “Why bother wading into such muddy waters?”
“Why bother?” Fu Jingxuan suddenly laughed, a spark flickering in his peach-blossom eyes. He had drunk a fair amount of wine today; his cheeks were flushed, and he was pleasantly tipsy. With the faint scent of alcohol on his breath, he said wantonly, “Because I like it, and because I’m willing.”
